by VizioOptic

Monthly Archives: June 2013

Staying on top of trends is a favorite hobby of ours, but sometimes it’s nice to get back to basics. A true classic never goes out of style and the one hit we see year after year is a pair of iconic Ray Ban sunglasses. The iconic Wayfarer has been one of the American brand’s defining looks for decades, reinventing the frame year after year with different colors, patterns and various takes on the original silhouette. “Effortlessly cool” are probably the two most-often used words to describe this week’s frame, chosen by our friend Massaoud.

Above, Massaoud wears a pair of Ray Ban New Wayfarer 2132 sunglasses in color 902, tortoise, which fit perfectly with his personality and sense of style. Tortoise is a classic pattern that is flattering on pretty much everyone. The New Wayfarer is a modified version of the original silhouette, with a shorter lens to fit smaller faces. The rectangular lens edges are slightly more curved for a softer look as well.

As with most of Ray Ban’s Icons collection, this frame is available in multiple colors. In addition to tortoise, the New Wayfarer comes in black, light blue rubber, black rubber, and brown gradient. There are also several sizes to choose from so you can enjoy a pair of designer sunglasses no matter how small or large your proportions are.

To explore our collection of Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses both new and old, visit VizioOptic.com. Let us know which color is your favorite!

Sunglasses haven’t gotten larger just for the glamour effect, there’s a good reason your frames are getting taller and wider, and it’s because our brands want to protect you from the sun as much as possible! Active folks who spend time outdoors, no matter which season, are more susceptible to ultraviolet radiation if they are participating in water or snow sports or even making their way up a mountain, and having the right pair of designer sunglasses is an important part of staying safe.

This is the wrong way to wear your shades this summer. They are far too small to provide enough protection for your eyes! UVA and UVB rays can still get to them on all sides because there’s no peripheral protection, and if you’re spending the day on the water you can seriously harm your eyes without enough to shield yourself from the sun. Here’s why.

Water reflects nearly 90 percent of UVB rays directly towards your eyes, which can excel the growth of cataracts and other eye conditions and put you at risk for ultraviolet keratitis (a sunburn of the eye that can be painful and lead to temporary blindness). Hikers need better protection around their eyes as well because UV radiation increases 4 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation – and being around fresh snow on a mountain also carries the same percentage of reflected light as water.

So which frames are best for activities in the sun? Many athletes prefer Oakley sunglasses because they’re made with these type of activities in mind. They provide a close fit and many have side shields or wraparound-style frames to help keep out UV light. You also want to find a pair with polarized lenses that bock 100 percent of ultraviolet radiation. Here are a few styles that will help keep your eyes in tip-top shape throughout the year:

Oakley Offshoot sunglasses have a single polarized-lens shield protecting your eyes, with wide temples that help keep the sun out fo your eyes.

Contrary to popular belief, darker lenses don’t always mean they’re more protective. These Oakley Pit Boss sunglasses feature polarized lenses in a tungsten shade, which has the same level of polarization as the brand’s black lenses. Different colors simply serve different purposes, like providing better visual acuity in lower-light conditions or improved color contrast. The above color does the latter.

Oakley Tightrope sunglasses may resemble the size of the frame in our example of the wrong way to wear your sunglasses, but the brand’s three-point fit ensures that these are snug and secure around your eyes for the utmost protection. The ice iridium lenses reduce glare and are best for truer color perception in extremely bright light.

Happy Monday! We know it’s not your favorite day of the week, so let’s start it off with a little something that make us feel warm and fuzzy. Today, it’s an insightful Eyewear Magazine interview with Henrik Lindberg of LINDBERG eyewear, owner of the Danish brand that has been successfully creating some of the most innovative glasses in the world for nearly three decades. The company is his life and his family, and it’s wonderful to see the success of a brand that’s doing everything themselves – from design and production to marketing and distribution.

Available in more than 100 countries, LINDBERG eyeglasses are known for their light weight, flexibility, customization options, and the fact that they have never used a single screw in the production of their frames. The brand’s characteristic design element of functionality has earned itself the title of “the Apple of the eyewear industry” by a competitor.

“I’d say I spend 24 hours every day with design,” Mr. Lindberg told the magazine. “To me, design is not only about creating a certain style of eyewear. Design is also about how you run a company. Everything has to work together somehow … everything is design in a way.”

The owner is proud to provide a great work-life balance for his company, only allowing overtime on business trips, as well as a collaborative atmosphere where everyone feels equally as important. This positive work environment (one that we also enjoy at Vizio Optic!) lends itself to smooth operations, in which frames are often constructed and customized within a week’s time. When asked of his company’s achievements in its 28-year existence, Mr. Lindberg referenced important milestones such as creating the “first-ever titanium glasses” (the Air Titanium collection) and its constant cultivation of close relationships with customers and opticians. But what really separates LINDBERG from the pack is its unique collections and ability to offer just about anything its customers want.

“We can claim that we are constantly implementing our very own design ideas and techniques. That is very important to us. We are also able to still supply spare parts for glasses that have not been a part of our range for years now.”

Customization options are a huge draw for the company, as each pair can be fitted to the wearer’s unique measurements for the bridge and arms, the preference for lens shape (and size, for rimless glasses), and the frame’s color combinations or patterns. With LINDBERG glasses, the finished product is often the creation of the customer, and the exclusive and unique pair of glasses is a prized possession. We know how excited our friends at Vizio Optic get when their perfectly personalized frames arrive, something no one else on the planet can say they own.

Fashion is all about taking chances. You could be the boldest dresser with mismatched prints and six-inch wedges, or maybe you’re the more refined type who chooses to stand out with one incredible accessory. Either way, the new collection J.F. Rey sunglasses is the perfect fit.

The Moonglasses line features unique shades with incredibly detailed frames, boasting laser-cut patterns that sit atop a delicate lace-like base. Bloody Lys has a feminine, “heraldic fleure-de-lis, representing purity and innocence,” according to Eyewear Magazine. On the masculine side (although let’s be honest, they’re pretty great for women, too) is Black Heart, crafted with a rebellious skull pattern throughout the metal frame, “layered with a gray-sprinkled metal coating reminiscent of rock structure.”

The metal Moonglasses are light and flexible, but it’s the macro lenses that make these frames so fascinating. Each pair is imprinted with the same pattern of its respective frame with a high-tech vacuum process. The prints don’t appear as bold as these stock photos suggest, but they are visible and create a stunning look that makes these designer sunglasses the most important accessory you’ll own this summer.

Bloody Lys is available in Antique Gold/Blue, Bronze, and Black, while Black Heart is offered in Granite, Khaki and Black. Check out more photos of the frames over at Eyewear Magazine where you can see the mirrored lenses in full effect and get a closer look at the detail of each pattern.

Curious about size? Bloody Lys measures in at 57/18/123, while Black Heart is a little wider at 60/19/125, fitting small to medium-sized faces.

What do you think of these new styles? Are you bold enough to wear them?

We’ve got big news, Vizio fans! This month, we were featured in the July 2013 issue of O, The Oprah Magazinealongside the most fabulous pair of designer sunglasses by Lafont! It is such an honor to be listed as the go-to retailer for Lafont eyewear and to be recognized in a national publication once again with one of our favorite brands!

The magazine’s creative director, Adam Glassman, took advantage of this sunny time in our lives to highlight just how important it is to protect your eyes in the summer. He chose three great frames to feature, including the wonderful Lafont Hampton sunglasses in light pink and brown. These glamorous shades have a modern cat-eye silhouette, with oval gradient lenses surrounded by transparent acetate frame, pointed in the upper corners for that retro feel.

Take a look at the famous frame:

How pretty is that? It’s the perfect choice for the season, making you feel as stylish and captivating as any celeb basking in the island sun. Hampton is also available in leopard, black with red accents, transparent purple, and tortoise.

Glassman also noted an important statistic from the Vision Council of America, that 52 percent of women forget to wear their sunglasses! We’d like to thing our blog readers have a much better habit of wearing their shades, so tell us, do you often forget to wear them or do you wear your sunnies religiously?

Today we want to talk about dueling desires. Two things you love and want to have but their fate seems inevitably doomed – much like clashing patterns. But fashion is all about the unexpected, and many times two separate pieces that you wouldn’t consider pairing end up working together beautifully. Case in point, Etnia eyewear consistently shows us how seemingly conflicting patterns can actually come together for a perfect union.

Above, our friend Alison wears a perfect example of a frame that shows your desires can be anything but dueling – Etnia Montpelier eyeglasses. This style features a brown striped pattern along the brow and arms, matched with a mini-polka dot pattern in purple throughout the front rims. These designs work well together because they’re colored in complementary shades and because the details are small and subtle.

This style isn’t overwhelming either because it starts out with a classic silhouette that brings the unconventional pattern pairing down a notch. This rectangular style is also available in tan stripes with brown checkers, solid brown with red checkers, black stripes with blue checkers, and black stripes with fuchsia checkers.

This is just one frame among many that boast cool color and pattern combinations, and we encourage you to scroll through the Etnia eyewear selection available on our website. There are so many styles to choose from, we know you’ll find the perfect one for you.

We know that the industry trades are of little interest to most people outside of our field, but we often find some enlightening articles in these magazine that we just can’t wait to share. Recently, Eyewear Magazine conducted an insightful interview with Claire Goldsmith, great-granddaughter of the man who brought Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses to the world in 1926, and she had some wonderful things to say about eyewear fashion.

A little background: The Oliver Goldsmith brand became hugely popular in the 1950s through the 1970s, with everyone from Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly to the Rolling Stones seen wearing a pair. Princess Diana even wore them on the cover of Tatler Magazine later on in 1990 (and rightfully so, the Goldsmiths were once outfitters of the Royal Family). Now under the reign of Claire Goldsmith, who revamped the company in 2006, they’re doing better than ever.

“A brand is really just a condensation of its values, quality guidelines and standards that are injected into the products. At least that’s how it should be,” Claire told the magazine. High quality is exactly what you’ll get with sunglasses from her family’s company. Each frame is handmade in London with the utmost care, not only to produce your frame but to create top-quality designs as well.

“The Goldsmiths have now been working for four generations to make sure that eyewear design will never get boring … [Today], the number of choices is overwhelming for customers and you have to work significantly harder to create something that stands out.”

They certainly do stand out. Just ask Lady Gaga, who is one of the label’s biggest fans. She’s been spotted in numerous styles, most popularly Oliver Goldsmith Y-Not sunglasses in black. But even as a go-to designer for the more eccentrically dressed celebrities thanks to its range of unique silhouettes and colors, Claire feels the most strength in timeless options.

“I think that eyewear is very similar to fashion; there will always be extremes and less exciting things out there – but at the end of the day, classic shapes will remain unbeatable.”

For a look at the more classic styles from Oliver Goldsmith, check out Consul, Lord, Manhattan, Sophia and more at VizioOptic.com.

Would you like to hear more from your favorite designers? Let us know in the comments who you’d love to hear from next.

Providing you with a supreme collection of top-quality designer eyewear is what we strive for each and every day, and once in a while we hear some great news reaffirming the choices in our selection for you. Vizio Optic would like to congratulate MYKITA on recently winning four design awards from high-profile international organizations for their incredible technology and innovation in the eyewear industry.

The German Design Council has awarded the MYKITA Lite collection with the 2013 German Design Award, given to the brand for its excellence in product design. Frames from the Lite range are constructed with just three pieces – the front rim, and two arms with interlocking pieces that create snap-on hinges on each side.

One particular frame was singled out from the Lite collection for its own accolade – MYKITA Sigur eyeglasses – earning the International Design Award for the top Accessory. Sigur features a slim metal rim in black surrounding perfectly circular lenses, separated by an arched bridge in complementary silver. It is also available in warm gray with gold accents and neon pink with silver accents.

From the MYLON concept collection, MYKITA Basky eyeglasses earned the brand its sixth red dot design award for outstanding product design, with its rounded silhouette and vintage-inspired look. The collection itself was also recognized for its superior style with a top 10 nomination for the 2013 Industriepreis. Basky is offered in Vinaccia Red (above), British Racing Green, Imperial Purple, Ocean Blue, Peat Brown and Pitch Black.

Last, but not least, a celebration of history was awarded with the 2013 iF Design Award for Corporate Communication. MYKITA’s Eight book commemorating the first eight years of the brand’s existence “sheds a little more light on what goes on behind the scenes at MYKITA and gives a voice to a variety of artists, customers and friends and their views on the brand,” its website says.

We are so proud of our friends at MYKITA and congratulate them on all their hard work and devotion towards bringing high-quality frames to YOU!

Now you tell us, which brand would you award for its excellence in the eyewear industry?

Continuing our preparation for long days in the sun, we present to you another week of fabulous designer sunglasses. This week, our friend Vanessa has chosen a pair of CHANEL 5249 sunglasses in color 714/S5, part of the new 2013 collection from the French fashion house. See how happy she looks? That’s how we like to see each and every one of you before you walk out the door! Doesn’t the tortoise color complement her so well? The square-shaped lenses flatter, too, adding angles to create a balanced look.

This glamorous pair of acetate CHANEL sunglasses also features gradient brown lenses and a beautiful metal camellia on each temple, both sides accented with a tiny CC logo on one of the camellia’s petals. While we like that the signature shows our devotion to art and fashion, the logo is subtle enough to give just a hint towards our predilection for the finer frames in life.

The 5249 is available in multiple shades to suit your sartorial needs this season – whether you want a teal frame to bring a pop of color to your summer look or a neutral black for a glamorous accessory enviable by any celeb. This style is also offered in a rich blue and deep red. We think the latter two are great choices to pull together a fabulous look for July 4th. Pair with a crisp white blazer and some cutoff jean shorts and you’ll be shining bright this Independence Day.

This spring, we’re celebrating something special – our 8th birthday! When we opened in 2004, our dream was to bring a new and different eyewear selection to the Boston area that allowed our friends in the community to express themselves in a unique way. Since then, we’ve gone international with our online shop and have won several Best of Boston awards from Boston Magazine – achievements we owe entirely to you! And we have something special for you this month to show our gratitude.

Many beautiful frames have come and gone in the last eight years, but some great styles still remain. Each member of the Vizio Optic team has chosen their favorite frame to highlight for our anniversary, ones that have stood the test of time and some new arrivals that are sure to have a long-term presence in our shop. Without further ado, here are our favorite styles of designer eyewear from over the years:

As a thank you to you, our wonderful customers, we are offering $50 towards any of these frames (in any color) until June 30, 2013. Price will be adjusted at checkout when you enter the code HAPPY8. For frames that are not available online (Face a Face Bocca 4, Cecile, and Vue dc DOT), we are able to process your order with the promotional price via phone or email.

Call: 866-411-9428
Email: sales@viziooptic.com

What do you think of our choices? What would you have picked? Let us know in the comments below!